Trigger lock for a miter saw

Abstract

A miter saw includes a base assembly and a saw unit pivotably coupled to the base assembly. The saw unit includes a motor for driving a saw blade about a rotational axis, a handle, a trigger coupled to the handle and moveable between a first position in which the motor is deactivated, and a second position in which the motor is activated to drive the saw blade, and a trigger lock pivotably coupled to the trigger for movement therewith to prevent movement of the trigger from the first position to the second position.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A miter saw comprising:
 a base assembly; and   a saw unit pivotably coupled to the base assembly, the saw unit including
 a motor for driving a saw blade about a rotational axis, 
 a handle, 
 a trigger coupled to the handle and moveable between a first position in which the motor is deactivated, and a second position in which the motor is activated to drive the saw blade, and 
 a trigger lock pivotably coupled to the trigger for movement therewith to prevent movement of the trigger from the first position to the second position. 
   
     
     
         2 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , further comprising a switch biased into a first state in which the motor is deactivated when the trigger is in the first position, and wherein the switch is actuated from the first state to a second state to activate the motor in response to the trigger being moved from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         3 . The miter saw of  claim 2 , wherein the trigger is directly engageable with the switch to actuate the switch from the first state to the second state. 
     
     
         4 . The miter saw of  claim 1 , wherein the trigger lock is pivotable relative to the trigger about a pivot axis between a first position in which the trigger is locked in the first position, and a second position in which the trigger is movable from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         5 . The miter saw of  claim 4 , wherein the pivot axis is disposed within a periphery of the trigger. 
     
     
         6 . The miter saw of  claim 4 , wherein the trigger is slidable along an actuation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis of the trigger lock. 
     
     
         7 . The miter saw of  claim 4 , wherein the trigger includes an aperture through which an actuation arm of the trigger lock protrudes at least when the trigger lock is in the first position. 
     
     
         8 . The miter saw of  claim 7 , wherein the trigger includes a gripping surface against which an operator of the miter saw presses for moving the trigger from the first position to the second position, and wherein the aperture is adjacent the gripping surface. 
     
     
         9 . The miter saw of  claim 8 , wherein the actuation arm of the trigger lock is engageable by the operator of the miter saw with the same finger used for depressing the trigger from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         10 . The miter saw of  claim 7 , wherein the actuation arm of the trigger lock protrudes through the aperture when the trigger lock is in the first position and the second position. 
     
     
         11 . The miter saw of  claim 4 , further comprising a spring biasing the trigger lock toward the first position. 
     
     
         12 . The miter saw of  claim 11 , wherein the handle includes a wall defining a blocking surface, and wherein the spring biases an end of the trigger lock opposite the actuation arm into engagement with the blocking surface when the trigger lock is in the first position to lock the trigger in the first position. 
     
     
         13 . The miter saw of  claim 12 , wherein the trigger is slidable along an actuation axis that is substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis of the trigger lock, and wherein the blocking surface is obliquely oriented relative to the actuation axis. 
     
     
         14 . The miter saw of  claim 12 , wherein the end of the trigger lock is movable past the blocking surface in response to the trigger lock being pivoted to the second position and the trigger being moved from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         15 . A trigger assembly for use in a power tool, the trigger assembly comprising:
 a handle;   a trigger coupled to the handle and slidable along an actuation axis between a first position in which the power tool is deactivated, and a second position in which the power tool is activated; and   a trigger lock pivotably coupled to the trigger about a pivot axis for movement with the trigger along the actuation axis, the trigger lock preventing movement of the trigger from the first position to the second position.   
     
     
         16 . The trigger assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the pivot axis is disposed within a periphery of the trigger. 
     
     
         17 . The trigger assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the pivot axis of the trigger lock is substantially perpendicular to the actuation axis of the trigger. 
     
     
         18 . The trigger assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the trigger lock is pivotable relative to the trigger about the pivot axis between a first position in which the trigger is locked in the first position, and a second position in which the trigger is movable from the first position to the second position, and wherein the trigger includes an aperture through which an actuation arm of the trigger lock protrudes at least when the trigger lock is in the first position. 
     
     
         19 . The trigger assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the trigger includes a gripping surface against which an operator of the power tool presses for moving the trigger from the first position to the second position, wherein the aperture is adjacent the gripping surface, and wherein the actuation arm of the trigger lock is engageable by the operator of the power tool with the same finger used for depressing the trigger from the first position to the second position. 
     
     
         20 . The trigger assembly of  claim 19 , further comprising a spring biasing the trigger lock toward the first position, wherein the handle includes a wall defining a blocking surface, and wherein the spring biases an end of the trigger lock opposite the actuation arm into engagement with the blocking surface when the trigger lock is in the first position to lock the trigger in the first position.